No matter how much Noah thought about it, there was only one conclusion that came to his mind.
He was screwed.
That was the conclusion he arrived at after careful consideration. However, whether the panel knew his thoughts or not, the previous message that popped up continued without ending.
[Synchronization rate: 4 percent... 6 percent... 19 percent...]
[Synchronization - Error at 71 percent.]
[Player customization partially applied.]
[Character setup complete!]
Nox von Reinharber.
One of the three Dark Houses in Inner Lunatic.
The youngest of the five siblings of the Reinharber family, known as geniuses, and the only one considered a dullard within the family. That was the true identity of the villain he possessed.
Afterward, he grew into the greatest antagonist within the game world, becoming a formidable wall that blocked players' progress.
That is the main identity of the character named Nox.
"Sigh... This can't be a dream, right?"
Noah washed his face with cold water and looked at the mirror, but nothing had changed.
Snow-white hair that seemed to have settled, turning a pale white. Mysterious lavender-colored eyes. The disgustingly handsome features all reminded him that the character he had possessed was indeed Nox.
"This is insane."
Alone, he muttered to himself, rubbing his face with his feeble hands.
Ding!
Startled, Noah looked up, gazing at the source of the familiar sound. Seeing what was in front of him, his eyes narrowed and an expression of astonishment crept onto his face.
---------------------
[Basic Information]
Name: Nox von Reinhaber
Gender: Male
Age: 14
Race: Human
Primary Element: Darkness
Achievements: None
[Traits] -
Positive: [Genius in Swordsmanship and Martial Arts] / [Genius in Mana Sensing] / [Insight] / [Memory Prodigy] / [Iron Will] / [Genius in Acting]
Neutral: [Manifestation of Darkness]
Negative: [Terminal Illness] / [Curse of Weakness] / [Weak Immune System] / [Cold Hands and Feet] / [Possessed]
[Stats]
Stamina: 2
Mana: 9
Luck: 7
Willpower: 10
Charisma: 25
[Skills] -
Active Skills: Time of the Genius
Passive Skills:
*[Terminal Illness] - Remaining player's lifespan is one year.
---------------------
"....sigh. Now even a status window?"
It was a bewildering situation.
Not only did Noah suddenly find himself possessing a villain in the game but now, a status window had appeared before his eyes as well. And that wasn't all.
Nox's stats displayed in the status window were baffling.
With the numerous negative traits afflicting him, Nox's stamina was a measly 2. It was essentially suitable only for walking. His arms and shoulders were no better, serving little purpose other than decoration.
Noah couldn't help but think that a jointed doll would be more functional than this.
"The rest of the stats are overwhelmingly great, but with stamina that low, it's hopeless."
Such a low stamina stat in Inner Lunatic is truly a disaster. Even a mage would be on the verge of death if their stamina didn't reach a certain level. As for physical classes, it's even worse.
"Sigh..."
Yet despite all this, in reality, Nox's stats weren't even the real issue.
It was the presence of a particular negative trait that was synchronized with the emerged status window. A disaster was several times more dangerous than the previous one.
[Terminal Illness]
He stared at the status window, his expression filled with despair.
"I was already living on a time limit in reality, and now I have a terminal illness here too?"
Noah couldn't even force out a bitter laugh.
When he was customizing his character, he never imagined that the trait he added, thinking it would be his last game, would become such a hindrance. However, rather than regret, he felt perplexed.
Noah thought to himself about this situation.
He didn't know what kind of jerk had trapped him in this game, but if he caught them, he would kill them without hesitation. But... before that.
"First and foremost... I need to survive."
Standing on the threshold of death made it even clearer to him.
Noah still didn't want to die.
Furthermore, in order to survive, he needed to quickly adapt to the current situation.
If he didn't survive in the present, he couldn't hope for a future.
"But it's not completely hopeless."
The status window displayed several outstanding positive traits.
The most notable ones were the two genius traits.
[Genius of Swordsmanship and Martial Arts] enhanced Noah's skills with swords and various close combat techniques. It also made it easier for him to reach the pinnacle of basic hand-to-hand combat.
[Genius of Mana Perception] heightened his sensitivity to mana, allowing him to efficiently utilize magic in various tasks.
In simple terms, while the [Terminal Illness] trait imposed limitations on him, it undeniably opened up a path for unlimited growth. The penalty was significant, but the talents it guaranteed were equally remarkable. The evidence for this was the presence of the two genius traits.
"But that's not all. [Insight] grants me the ability to view other characters' status windows, and [Genius of Acting] enhances acting skills; it'll provide a huge advantage when deceiving others. [Iron Will] also helps me remain calm during battles or dangerous situations..."
As a master who had cleared Inner Lunatic 27 times, Noah quickly obtained a full understanding of the traits bestowed upon Nox. He knew what to utilize and what to be cautious of better than anyone else.
"...By the way, this Nox guy is awfully weak. A baby would be stronger than him."
Noah had relaxed a bit too early.
The negative traits afflicting him were immediately noticeable. Well, even from the reflection in the mirror, the frail and skinny body appeared feeble, but this was on another level.
It could be described as a walking infirmary ward.
[Terminal Illness], [Curse of Weakness], [Weak Immune System], [Cold Hands and Feet], and even [Possession]...
Negative traits like these always hindered gameplay, even with the huge benefits they provided.
With [Cold Hands and Feet], it would be nearly impossible to set foot in an icy region without a heat skill. And if you have [Weak Immune System], you're bound to collapse at least once during the first chapter of the game.
In many ways, it becomes a hassle and an inconvenience. Naturally, there was no simple solution.
For now, Noah would have to rely on the two genius traits that he assigned himself and the unique trait passed down by the Reinharber lineage, [Manifestation of Darkness], to survive.
...Of course, before that, he had to somehow deal with the one-year time limit.
And so, he made a rough decision about his future course of action.
―"You have one unread letter in your mailbox. Would you like to check it?"
"An unread letter?"
Noah tilted his head in confusion.
'What's this about?'
It hadn't even been ten minutes since he arrived in this unfamiliar world.
'Who could have sent me a letter... ah.'
"Could it be...?"
In an instant, as if being struck in the head, a plausible hypothesis flashed through his mind.
"That bastard who threw me into this game... It must be a letter from him."
With certainty, Noah immediately manipulated the status window and opened the mailbox.
And as for the result...
His expectations were only partially correct.
As he touched the letter tightly wrapped in old parchment, just like in the game, a letter unfolded in mid-air, filling his vision.
* * *
Hello, Noah... No, should I call you Nox now?
* * *
"...Huh?"
The moment he read the opening words, a chill ran down his spine, and he felt his hair stand on end. Even at the very first line, the letter sparked a question.
"They know my name?"
Noah.
The name his unknown parents left him before he became an orphan.
But why would his name appear in this letter?
What connection could there possibly be...
"...Could it be?"
His body froze for a moment.
Along with it, another question sprouted in his mind.
"Could this being, the one who transported me to Inner Lunatic, know something about my forgotten past?"
If not, the current situation made no sense whatsoever.
To find any semblance of validity, it seemed most logical to think that way, given that he suddenly found himself reincarnated as the villain in Inner Lunatic and his name appeared here.
Thump. Thump.
Noah's heart raced wildly. However, he forced himself to maintain a calm expression and began reading the rest of the letter.
* * *
You may not remember me, but I must say this.
It's been such a long time. And I welcome your return.
You've been through a lot in the past two years. You deserve to come back here.
* * *
"Welcome your return."
The writer in the letter spoke as if Noah were originally a person of this world, as if that were the natural state of things.
But in his mind, it was utterly incomprehensible.
How could such a thing be possible?
He have already lived outside for two years.
Inner Lunatic was nothing more than a game...
Smack
Noah slapped himself hard on his cheeks with both hands, snapping himself back to reality.
His way of thinking itself was flawed. Come to think of it, even the fact that he was possessed in this world was already an unbelievable event.
"Which means... perhaps the world I lived in before wasn't the reality, and this place is."
It's still a leap.
He didn't know enough to figure everything out.
About this world. About himself.
Noah's gaze shifted to the next line of the letter.
* * *
I cannot reveal much about my identity or other matters yet... but I want to help you.
Enroll in the Eldin Academy. Cultivate your power and stay as close to the main story as possible.
All the truth lies there...
* * *
The letter abruptly ended with that line.
In an instant, with a soft rustling sound, the letter disappeared before Noah's eyes.
He looked around in a daze, his face expressionless. Then, he went back to the mailbox to read the letter again, but there was nothing there.
He couldn't help but feel bewildered as he recalled the contents of the letter.
It was absurd.
"I'm currently possessing the final boss of the game. And yet... get close to the main story? That's practically telling me to die."
It was true.
Nox was the ultimate villain, the final obstacle that the protagonist had to overcome in this story. The main story would ultimately be completed with his death.
"But I can't give up on regaining my memories either."
Noah let out a short sigh.
"I have no idea what is happening right now... but one thing is certain. I have no choice but to do as the person who sent me this letter instructs. However..."
He immediately made a decision.
"I won't be so easy to kill, even if there's a time limit."
He, too, had many questions up until now.
Where was he from? What about his family? What happened to his lost memories?
The answers must be hidden here.
Noah clenched his fist.
"By any means necessary, I will approach the main story. And once I discover the connection between my lost memories and Inner Lunatic... I will survive."
If he could regain his memories and uncover the link between himself and this game, Inner Lunatic...
"Even if I have to become the ultimate villain, I will do it."
He was willing to play the role.
As Nox von Reinhaber, the Inner Lunatic's ultimate villain, and now a ticking time bomb...
Heh.
A laugh escaped his lips
When Noah thought about it, not much had changed compared to reality.
Two years ago, when he lost his memories, he was already living on borrowed time. Every moment was a countdown to death, and he lived in constant fear of when it would come. The only difference now was the backdrop.
And it was the one he knew best.
There was no reason to cower in fear and run away.
Noah, or rather Nox, brushed his hair back roughly and walked away from the mirror, heading towards the calendar that displayed the in-game date.
"February 4th, 1812," he murmured as he gathered his thoughts.
There was still one year remaining until the start of Inner Lunatic's main story.
And until his death, for that matter.
"Well then... Shall we start the walkthrough for Episode 28?"
After distancing himself from the mirror, Nox put on his neatly hung black coat.
He grasped the doorknob of the room and turned it with a light heart. But then, at that moment.
Crack!
"Huh?"
It sounded like bones breaking...
"[Negative Trait Activated.]"
"You have acquired Wrist Sprain Level 1 as a result of an unfortunate accident. Please take sufficient rest to recover."
"...What the hell?"
It was his wrist that made the sound.
Nox couldn't believe it.
Why did the negative trait trigger from the beginning? What did he do to deserve this?
All he did was...
"I grabbed the doorknob with my hand and turned it... But a wrist sprain? Seriously? That's ridiculous!"
His fist trembled. Amidst the frustration, Nox could feel a slight ache from the sprain.
Helplessly, he could only grab the doorknob with his other hand and cautiously turn it.
Crash!
'Damn it. What's going on now?'
At that moment, he heard a shattering sound.
Fortunately, this time it wasn't coming from his own body.
"Hu... Huk! No, Lord Nox!?"
As he stepped outside the room and turned his gaze toward the direction of the voice, he saw the figure of a startled girl with widened pupils. Her trembling body seemed like a frail gazelle in front of a carnivorous beast, and it felt like there was an uncanny connection between her and Nox.
It was a familiar face. She appeared to be a maid, perhaps around the same age as Nox. While he was briefly reminiscing, she spoke up.
"I-I'm sorry...! I promise I won't make the same mistake again. Please, just spare me from being cut by glass shards..."
The maid pleaded while taking a step back and trembling. It seemed like she was apologizing for a grave error.
In response, without even realizing it, Nox involuntarily furrowed his brows and spoke.
"Brown hair and lighter-colored eyes... Is she Lona?"
Fortunately, she was a character he remembered.
She was one of the maids in Reinharber Manor, constantly gossiping about Nox behind his back. In Nox's perspective, she was nothing more than a disposable extra, not a significant character by any means.
"Hoo..."
He looked at Lona, who was gazing up at him with a flustered expression.
...She's the one who used to speak ill of Nox behind his back with such a virtuous face, right?
As he found himself in Nox's shoes, disgruntlement surged up from within him, but he managed to suppress it. Then, as he was about to pick up the shattered glass and place it on the silver tray, she pleaded.
"P-Please! his lord! My, his life, at least!"
"..."
At that moment, Nox realized two things.
First, there's a reason why villains are villains.
No matter how much his inner self has changed, a single act won't reverse the evaluation.
And secondly, and most importantly...
Lona was trash.
"I'll spare you this time."
Lona and Nox locked eyes as he sat down.
"But if you make another mistake..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but Lona quickly lowered her head, as if imagining the consequences of what he might say next, her face nearly as pale as his own.
Nox stood back up, feeling refreshed, and glanced around at the surrounding employees.
All of them looked at him with eyes that saw the worthless youngest son of the family.
Damn it.
"Nox... What kind of life have you lived?"
He let out a sigh and took a step forward, but another maid standing in the hallway asked, "Um... Lord... Where are you going, by any chance?"
'...There's no need to hide it, I suppose.'
After a brief moment of contemplation, he answered simply.
"The training grounds."
At that moment, Nox could feel the heads of all the employees in the hallway turn towards him with surprise. Though they didn't say anything, it was clear what they were thinking.
If their inner thoughts were portrayed in the game's script, there's no doubt that the following lines would have appeared:
"Why would that good-for-nothing, who has never even touched a sword, suddenly go to the training grounds? Is he planning to wield one now and show off?"